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December Tip Sheet: Medical Science & Health


URL: http://news-info.wustl.edu/issue/page/normal/1499.html

Media Assistance:

Gwen Ericson
Assistant Director of Research Communications
ericsong@wustl.edu
(314) 286-0141
Dec. 10, 2007 -- Tip sheets highlight timely news and events at Washington University in St. Louis. For more information on any of the stories below or for assistance in arranging interviews, please see the contact information listed with each story.



Risky business

Heavy drinking, conduct disorder linked to high-risk sexual behavior

Dec. 3, 2007 -- Psychiatry researchers at the School of Medicine have found that a clinical diagnosis of alcohol dependence in young adults is associated with having a high number of sex partners. Their study, published in the December issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, also found links between a conduct disorder diagnosis and high numbers of sexual partners as well as between problem drinking and more partners.


Quality of life

Activating protein enhances average lifespan, limits age-related disease in mice

Dec. 4, 2007 -- Metabolism researchers at the School of Medicine have found that although it does not extend maximum lifespan in mice, activating a protein in muscle tissue increases average lifespan and prevents some age-related diseases. The researchers believe a similar approach may someday help people avoid age-related problems such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, hypertension and even some cancers.


Potential PARTNER for heart patients

Heart valve replacement without open-heart surgery is subject of clinical study

Dec. 6, 2007 -- In a nationwide clinical trial, physicians are testing an investigational device that allows them to insert replacement aortic valves without opening the chest or using a heart-lung machine, making the procedure available to high-risk and formerly inoperable patients. The School of Medicine has been selected as a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigative site in the trial evaluating this technique, which uses a far less invasive procedure than the standard open-heart surgery.


Disruptive behaviors

Excessive tantrums in preschoolers may indicate serious mental health problems

Dec. 12, 2007 -- Certain types of tantrums in preschoolers may be a sign of serious emotional or behavioral problems, according to researchers at the School of Medicine. Although temper tantrums are common and normal in young children, the researchers found that long, frequent, violent and/or self-destructive tantrums may indicate the presence of psychiatric illness.

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Revised:

Monday, April 7, 2008